Herb DeLaney is 83 and still practicing law.

"I like to eat," he said, explaining why a man 18 years past retirement age still goes to court.

The income not only pays for his groceries, but his hobbies as well - daily workouts, singing and amateur magic tricks.

He also plays a mean round of tennis. He and a partner were the mixed doubles champions two years ago at the national Senior Games.

Not all his matches have been as successful.

"I played Pancho Gonzalez," DeLaney said of the tennis great. "He killed me. That was quite a while ago."

DeLaney called to see whether I could help him reconnect with Pete Donohue, who was a subject in this column late last year. They served at the same air base during the Korean War.

The more we talked, the more I became interested. In addition to playing tennis, DeLaney was quite the amateur boxer in the last century.

"I probably have 1,000 trophies," he said.

And then he said this month marks the first anniversary of the death of his daughter, Bonnie. Losing a child has to be one of the most flagrant low blows in life.

DeLaney is a Colorado native. He grew up in Denver. His father was a banker during the Great Depression, which means he was out of work a lot. His father applied for a job with the bankruptcy court in Denver, and was hired as a clerk.

"When dad was a clerk, I got interested in law," DeLaney said.

But first he served in the Merchant Marine during World War II. When he got out, he studied law at the University of Denver.

Then came the Korean War and the Air Force took him in. He was assigned to the Judge Advocate General Corps and fought his battles in military court. He served 21 months and returned to Denver.

He was practicing law by day and teaching dance lessons at an Arthur Murray studio at night. One night, he didn't feel like dancing.

"I begged off and went to the Fitzsimons Officers Club," he said.

There was a singer at the club, Ramona Ortiz, and DeLaney started talking to her. She must have liked what he had to say. They have been married 56 years.

Nowadays, they sing together - mostly standards - "just to keep busy," DeLaney said.

When he was a grade schooler, he used to walk downtown and look inside a bookstore, his eye riveted on magic tricks the store also stocked.

"I didn't have any money," he said.

About 20 years ago, he started buying and trying magic tricks. "I'm not wonderful," he said. "I amuse people."

DeLaney was a Golden Gloves boxer from his days at Smiley Junior High School. He boxed in the Merchant Marine, too.

He works out every day at the Colorado Athletic Club. He hits the speed bag, jumps rope for about a half-hour, does sit-ups and stomach crunches.

And he practically eats a meal full of vitamins every day.

"I take about 50 a day," he said.

He swallows three, four at a time, washing them down with milk.

All that hard physical work has paid off.

"I still weigh what I did when I got out of high school - about 135," he said.

The past remains present: DeLaney has a law office in his home.

"Most of my practice has been trial work," he said. "I just like it. That's the way I get my high."

Still, DeLaney said he doesn't think he's exceptional.

"Anyone can do what I do," he said.

You be the judge.

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